Garrison Hearst

Gerard Garrison Hearst (born January 4, 1971) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He played college football for the University of Georgia, and was recognized as an All-American. A first-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals, he also played professionally for the Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos of the NFL. He ran for 1,000 yards or more in four different seasons. He was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2001.

Garrison Hearst
Hearst with Georgia in 1991
No. 23, 20
Position:Running back
Personal information
Born: (1971-01-04) January 4, 1971
Lincolnton, Georgia
Height:5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High school:Lincoln County
(Lincolnton, Georgia)
College:Georgia
NFL Draft:1993 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Attempts:1,831
Rushing yards:7,966
Average:4.35
Rushing TDs:30
Receptions:229
Receiving yards:2,065
Receiving TDs:9
Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

Early years

Garrison Hearst was born in Lincolnton, Georgia. He attended Lincoln County High School in Lincolnton, where he was an all-state running back and broke several records.

College career

Hearst attended the University of Georgia, and played for the Georgia Bulldogs football team from 1990 to 1992, leading the nation in touchdowns (21) and in scoring (11.5 points per game) in his junior year. During his career, he established new school and Southeastern Conference (SEC) records for points scored in a season (126), total touchdowns (21), rushing touchdowns (19), and average yards per carry (6.8)*. Hearst was a consensus All-America selection, the Doak Walker Award recipient, ESPN's ESPY Winner for Outstanding Collegiate Athlete and SEC Player of the year in 1992. He finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Hearst finished his college career second on the Georgia records list in rushing yardage (3,232), all-purpose yardage (3,934), and 100-yard rushing games (16); trailing only Herschel Walker. He also finished third in career rushing touchdowns (33).

Regarded as an excellent prospect, he was taken in the 1993 NFL Draft third overall by the Arizona Cardinals.[1]

Statistics
Rushing Receiving
YEAR ATT YDS AVG LNG TD NO. YDS AVG LNG TD
19901627174.45057456.4160
19911539686.36991617711.0240
19922281,5476.875192232414.7642
Totals5433,2326.075334554612.1642

Professional career

Arizona Cardinals

Hearst was drafted by the Phoenix Cardinals in the 1993 NFL Draft.[2] In Hearst's first two seasons with the Cardinals, he was used sparingly. In 1995, however, he broke out as a pro player, rushing for 1,070 yards.[3] He was cut by the Cardinals in the 1996 training camp.[4]

Cincinnati Bengals

Hearst was then claimed off waivers by the Cincinnati Bengals.[5] He played there one season, gaining 847 yards,[6] but was then picked up by the San Francisco 49ers.

San Francisco 49ers

Hearst's best years came with the 49ers. In his first year, 1997, he ran for 1,019 yards and four touchdowns,[7] becoming the 49ers' first 1000-yard rusher since 1992 (Ricky Watters). The four touchdowns were more than he had scored in his entire pro career before 1997.

Hearst's true coming out, however, occurred in 1998. He ran for 1,570 yards and 7 touchdowns while averaging 5.1 yards per carry.[8] His total rushing yards placed him third in the NFL, behind only Terrell Davis and Jamal Anderson. Hearst set a then franchise record for rushing yards in a season, breaking the former record held by Roger Craig (1,502 yards in 1988). The record held until 2006 (Frank Gore).[9] His 535 receiving yards gave him a combined 2,105 yards on the season, another franchise record previously held by Craig (2,066 yards in 1985), also now held by Frank Gore (2,180 yards in 2006). Against the Detroit Lions late in the season, he set a then single-game franchise record of 198 rushing yards, which was later broken in 2000 (Charlie Garner). He also had the longest running play in the NFL earlier in the season, when he ran 96 yards for a game-winning touchdown in overtime on Opening Day versus the New York Jets. The play was later featured on NFL Films as one of the best two running plays in NFL history.

Following the great season by Hearst, he rushed for 128 yards and caught 3 passes for 15 in their wildcard win over the Green Bay Packers. The 49ers next faced the Atlanta Falcons in the Divisional Playoffs. On the first play from scrimmage, Hearst suffered a gruesome ankle break when his foot was caught in the Georgia Dome turf and twisted severely as he tried to spin away from Falcons' defensive end Chuck Smith. Doctors said he might not play again, even though the 49ers kept him on their roster as an inactive player.

Hearst ran into complications following surgery as circulatory problems choked off the blood supply in the area, leading to Avascular Necrosis, causing the talus bone in his foot to die. [10] Bo Jackson suffered this same condition in his hip and was forced to retire from football.

After over two years of rehabilitation, Hearst played football in 2001 and became the first player in NFL history to come back to football after suffering avascular necrosis. He had an excellent season as well, rushing for 1,206 yards on a 4.8 average. The 49ers, who were 10-22 in 2 seasons without Hearst, went 12-4 that year. He won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award.[11]

Hearst remained with the 49ers for two more seasons, but was used less often, the focus of the 49ers' running game shifting to Kevan Barlow. Hearst still ran for 972 yards and 768 yards in 2002 and 2003, respectively.

Hearst was released during the 49ers' offseason after the 2003 season, in which the 49ers let go of several key players, including quarterback Jeff Garcia and wide receiver Terrell Owens.

Denver Broncos

Hearst signed with the Denver Broncos [12]and in his final season, he was considered a "third down specialist" who had eight first downs, and 81 yards on 20 attempts with one touchdown (4.1 yards/carry)[13] before being placed on IR with a broken hand. He was not re-signed in 2005.

NFL career statistics
Year Team GP Rushing Receiving
Att Yards Avg Lng TD Rec Yards Avg Lng TD
1993PHO 6762643.55716183.090
1994ARI 8371694.63616498.2290
1995ARI 162841,0703.8381292438.4391
1996CIN 162258473.82401213110.9401
1997SF 132341,0194.4514211949.2692
1998SF 163101,5705.19673953513.7812
1999SF 0Did not play due to injury
2000SF 0Did not play due to injury
2001SF 162521,2064.8434413478.5601
2002SF 162159724.5408483176.6161
2003SF 121787684.3363252118.4261
2004DEN 720814.111122010.0150
Total1261,8317,9664.496302292,0659.0819

San Francisco 49ers Franchise Records
  • Most Rushing Yards (4th), Game - 198 Vs Detroit Lions (12/14/98)
  • Most Rushing Attempts (Tied 4th), Game - 31 vs Seahawks (12/1/02)
  • Most Consecutive 100-Yard Rushing Games (2nd), Season - 4 (1998)
  • Most 100-Yard Rushing Games (2nd), Season - 6 (1998)
  • Most Rushing Attempts (Tied 2nd), Season - 310 (1998)
  • Most Rushing Yards In a Season (2nd) - 1,570 (1998)
  • 5th All-Time in Rushing Yards (5,535)
  • Led NFC in Rushing Average (1998)
  • Led NFL in Longest Run (1998)

Personal life

Hearst is married and has four children. He resides in Georgia.[14]

Gay slur controversy
See also: Homosexuality in American football

In 2002, Hearst made inflammatory anti-gay comments to the Fresno Bee after Esera Tuaolo admitted he was gay. "Aww, hell no! I don't want any faggots on my team. I know this might not be what people want to hear, but that's a punk. I don't want any faggots in this locker room."[15] Three weeks later, Hearst apologized for his comments.[16][17]

See also

References
  1. "Toretta Wins Two More Awards". Chicago Tribune. The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
  2. "Garrison Hearst - Draft Year". football-players.pointafter.com. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  3. "Garrison Hearst Stats | Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  4. Reports, From Staff And Wire. "Hearst cut loose by Cardinals | chronicle.augusta.com". chronicle.augusta.com. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  5. "Sports | NFL -- Packer Lineman Brown Fined, Not Suspended -- That's A Boost For Line Beset By Injuries | Seattle Times Newspaper". community.seattletimes.nwsource.com. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  6. "Garrison Hearst". NFL.com. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  7. "Garrison Hearst: Career Stats at NFL.com". www.nfl.com. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  8. "1998 NFL Leaders and Leaderboards | Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  9. "San Francisco 49ers Single-Season Rushing Leaders | Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  10. https://www.si.com/vault/2002/01/07/316504/true-grit-garrison-hearst-refused-to-call-it-quits-despite-two-seasons-on-the-sidelines-with-a-debilitating-ankle-injury-and-now-hes-back-in-stride-and-playing-a-key-role-in-the-49ers-surprising-run-to-the-playoffs
  11. "Garrison Hearst wins AP Comeback Player of Year". chronicle.augusta.com. Morris Communications, LLC. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
  12. "Garrison Hearst joins Broncos". UPI. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  13. "Garrison Hearst". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  14. Garriott, Khalil. "Where Are They Now Garrison Hearst". NFLPlayers.com. NFL Players. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
  15. Hearst Doesn't Want 'Faggots' in Locker Room Archived June 26, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  16. "49ers' Hearst retreats from gay slur". Archived from the original on December 6, 2004. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
  17. Hearst owns up to slur - Why did it take 3 weeks for this story to spread?
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